Dear friends, dear neighbors, Muslims’ holy month of Ramadan is upon us. This year, DIC is organizing a special project called “Family Friendship Program” in order to promote friendship with neighbors,colleagues, and even with strangers. Ramadan is very special for Muslims. We get up for a very early breakfast, which is called as sahoor, at around 4 am to eat before the fasting of that day starts with dawn.

We fast during its days, which means neither eating nor drinking is allowed. We break our fastby the dusk with a delicious dinner called iftar. Afterwards, we attend to the mosques to perform taraweeh prayers, which is a very specific prayer service adopted from the practice of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) during the month of Ramadan.

Countless bounties surrounding us are experienced as acommunity. We fully feel the blessings of God, and look for ways leading toHim. Almsgiving, charity, and additional community services are encouraged to help those in need. It is also a very well–established traditionto invite guests for iftar dinners and sahoors. We have many volunteering families who would like to provide such adinner for those of you who want to participate.

Yes, DIC would like to make you and your family a guest of honor to a volunteering Turkish–American Muslim family. You will be hosted by one of our member families. You will have a beautiful dinner together, and share insightful life experience from each other. You will see that we are not that different after all.